Subject matter knowledge refers to a teacher's comprehension of a subject when compared with that of a specialist. How comfortable am I with this subject? Can I answer students' questions accurately and in a relaxed manner? For example, think of recent events that have captured our headlines:
- The Human Genome Project has resulted in the discovery of the genes that cause cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease, and researchers are closing in on the elusive genetic causes of breast cancer.
- The Hubble telescope has sent back a series of amazing pictures of the universe.
- The Mars probe has resulted in a series of remarkable pictures, detailing facts about its surface.
- Astronauts walk in space as if it were the natural thing for us all to do.
- Computer technology is opening new vistas that are as startling as they are ingenious.
On and on it goes, almost as if knowledge that has been forced below our level of consciousness has burst through restraining barriers and, as if to make up for lost time, has exploded before our eyes. Students, in the midst of this marvel of discoveries, have a unique opportunity to acquire learning that will shape their future as never before.
We're not concerned here with how you teach a particular subject, but with your knowledge of the various subjects. Our focus is to urge you not to be content with the basic facts and information of a subject. Rather, acquire familiarity with the ideas, facts, and concepts of a subject, and how they are organized. In other words, know the basic ideas of a subject, and how these ideas are "put together." Try to keep up with the results of current research. What seems to be essential here is that you should know more than the facts of a subject; you should understand how facts and ideas interrelate, and what they mean for truly understanding the subject (Borko & Putnam, 1996).
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